Sports Illustrated on Josiah James

#2
#2
It’s interesting that SI (Emily Caron) thinks the Vols can potentially contend for the SEC.
1565643364983.jpeg
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Catbone
#6
#6
I’m hoping coach English can help our backcourt more than has been discussed so far.. What I remember about him as a player(yeah I’m showing my age) is a great effort player with great IQ and less than great athleticism, but a really good player. I’m hoping like crazy he can infect guys like JJ with his confidence, effort and IQ.
 
#7
#7
I’m hoping coach English can help our backcourt more than has been discussed so far.. What I remember about him as a player(yeah I’m showing my age) is a great effort player with great IQ and less than great athleticism, but a really good player. I’m hoping like crazy he can infect guys like JJ with his confidence, effort and IQ.
You wouldn't need to be that old to have watched him play. It's only been 7 years since he was playing college basketball.
 
#9
#9
I’m hoping coach English can help our backcourt more than has been discussed so far.. What I remember about him as a player(yeah I’m showing my age) is a great effort player with great IQ and less than great athleticism, but a really good player. I’m hoping like crazy he can infect guys like JJ with his confidence, effort and IQ.
Are you thinking of Alex English?
GBO!!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Lefteye
#11
#11
James will be called on early and often to makes plays on this team. We are stacked, even log jammed at the 2 & 3. We have nobody elite at the point, although that may easily come by committee. We really could have used Walker or a decently developed Burns this year. But those guys are out and we missed big on Blackshear. I hope Mr. Kent is working his tail off, because he will be called on as a major cog in this team.

Makes me wonder if CRB hasn't already got the S&C guys working on extreme conditioning for this group. Our hope at the post season could be tied to a Pearl style controlled chaos team that pressures all 94' and looks to score in transition and off turnovers at the rack or on kickouts for 3. Hard to see this team being effective in the same 1/2 court efficiency role as schemed in the past 2 seasons. I'm actually looking forward to seeing what our staff squeezes out of this roster's upside. Coaching is something we definitely have.
 
#13
#13
I thought Woodson graduated?
"The frontcourt is inexperienced, while the backcourt after Turner and Bowden is in much of the same boat between James and a few other faces who’ve seen very limited time on the floor (Brad Woodson, Jalen Johnson)."
 
  • Like
Reactions: Vols All Day
#14
#14
I thought Woodson graduated?
"The frontcourt is inexperienced, while the backcourt after Turner and Bowden is in much of the same boat between James and a few other faces who’ve seen very limited time on the floor (Brad Woodson, Jalen Johnson)."
Yeah, that's the one area where the article was just completely wrong. Everything else was pretty good.

Also, we wouldn't be counting on a walk-on for minutes anyway.
 
#15
#15
We have nobody elite at the point.
Turner was running the point as much as Bone late last season and was very effective there IMO. His defense might be considered elite by some and his scoring is strong. If he has a future after college ball it will be as a point. CRB has a strong history in developing point guards. I don’t have any worries about the point next year....post is the huge unknown.
 
#16
#16
Turner was running the point as much as Bone late last season and was very effective there IMO. His defense might be considered elite by some and his scoring is strong. If he has a future after college ball it will be as a point. CRB has a strong history in developing point guards. I don’t have any worries about the point next year....post is the huge unknown.

Well, I said that wrong. Turner, Bowden, and maybe James could all be considered "elite". What I should have said is that we don't have any wedded to the position who is elite. All three can play it, but I think each is more of a 2 than 1.
 
#17
#17
Losing four out of five starters, three of which were drafted.
Yes, we lost starters that played a lot of minutes. What I don't understand is why so many think those four players are the only players on the team that Barnes has been able to develop. We have some game changers coming in. We have one 5-star players (for the star children out there) coming in with this class, plus some players with size. Do we have a GW, AS, KA or JB in this group? Only time will tell.
 
  • Like
Reactions: PulaskiVolFan
#18
#18
Yes, we lost starters that played a lot of minutes. What I don't understand is why so many think those four players are the only players on the team that Barnes has been able to develop. We have some game changers coming in. We have one 5-star players (for the star children out there) coming in with this class, plus some players with size. Do we have a GW, AS, KA or JB in this group? Only time will tell.

I am a bit of a skeptic on us doing very well that season simply because I don't think our talent atm is balanced between post and guards. Our guards are elite, probably can run with anyone in the country. Our post is pretty much a complete unknown. Best case scenario they are good but take time to mesh, worst case there is a massive drop-off and we struggle to hold position down low forcing overreliance and predictability on our guards. I would be thrilled to get back to the tourney this year. My expectation is a bubble team.
 
  • Like
Reactions: SlyStone
#20
#20
That's who I thought he was talking about. Alex English has got to be close to 70.

Those early 80's Denver Nuggets teams with English and Kiki Vandeweghe were fun to watch. They'd score 140 a night, and they had to because they would allow 130
Don't forget Big Dan Issel also.
 
  • Like
Reactions: vols 30
#22
#22
Yes, we lost starters that played a lot of minutes. What I don't understand is why so many think those four players are the only players on the team that Barnes has been able to develop. We have some game changers coming in. We have one 5-star players (for the star children out there) coming in with this class, plus some players with size. Do we have a GW, AS, KA or JB in this group? Only time will tell.
You also have attrition the post with Burns and Walker and a huge unknown with Plavsic. Without him, you are hurting for size big time. Fulky and Kent are two very skinny kids. ORN is a true freshman.
 
#23
#23
Turner was running the point as much as Bone late last season and was very effective there IMO. His defense might be considered elite by some and his scoring is strong. If he has a future after college ball it will be as a point. CRB has a strong history in developing point guards. I don’t have any worries about the point next year....post is the huge unknown.

Turner might be more of a PG in name only. Kind of like Tony White. It might say PG on the roster, but they're actually looking more to score than to distribute the ball and run the offense. Actually, Fred Jenkins and Tony White were kind of co-PGs iirc. Fred handled the ball a lot, but wasn't really a shooter.

I think that JJ James was described as somebody that shares the ball quite a bit. Johnson had been coached to get the ball to Grant down low and Bowden was worked with last summer to be used as a PG as well. So we'll have PG by committee this year. Since EVERY player on the roster is an above average passer, not having a true PG shouldn't be an issue. If defenses throw full court traps on Turner, James, or Bowden it should end up with easy baskets for TN if they move the ball.
 
#24
#24
I am a bit of a skeptic on us doing very well that season simply because I don't think our talent atm is balanced between post and guards. Our guards are elite, probably can run with anyone in the country. Our post is pretty much a complete unknown. Best case scenario they are good but take time to mesh, worst case there is a massive drop-off and we struggle to hold position down low forcing overreliance and predictability on our guards. I would be thrilled to get back to the tourney this year. My expectation is a bubble team.
The expectations change dramatically if Plavsic gets eligible. I would like the chance of that if we were Duke. I am not optimistic but hopeful. Small ball might be fun. Didn’t SC make a run in NCAA many years ago with 3 dynamic guards? I remember one was BJ Mackle and all of them could score from anywhere. They had a high seed and lost to Coppin St in round 1. Wow, that was awhile ago.
 

VN Store



Back
Top